Not much has gone right for the Baltimore Orioles this year. Whether it be injuries, underperformance or the struggles that comes in a 162-game season, it’s seemed like every time the Orioles take one step forward this season it’s promptly followed by them taking two steps back.

And while that’s carried over to the up-and-down play their new-look roster has put together since the trade deadline, their lineup has gotten a huge jolt from a strong return of play from Gunnar Henderson, who is back to looking like a cornerstone player for the Orioles.

Orioles’ Gunnar Henderson has quietly regained his MVP-caliber form

After ending July with a .277 batting average (a fine mark, sure, but not the kind of mark we’ve come to expect from Henderson), he’s caught fire over the past month and a half to the tune of a .310/.375/.520 slashline to go along with three home runs, 18 RBI and 10 doubles.

That mark has been even better as of late, as he’s posted a 1.094 OPS over his last 11 games — a span highlighted by his go-ahead three-run home run against the Cubs on Saturday.

While it may be a matter of “too little, too late” when it comes to the Orioles’ postseason hopes, Orioles fans should be ecstatic to see Henderson back to looking like the player who earned MVP votes in 2023 and ‘24.

While the Orioles traded away a lot of major league talent from their roster at the trade deadline, they managed to retain a good portion of the players who helped the team make the postseason over the past two seasons.

“It’s obviously tough, especially losing the guys that we did,” Henderson said on Saturday, per MLB.com’s Jake Rill. “But just got to move along, look ahead and was glad to be able to come through today.”

The team’s decision-makers have made it clear that they plan on competing in 2026, and the best way for them to make that happen is by getting a strong season from Henderson.

It seemed like Henderson was always playing catch-up this year due to the intercostal injury he suffered during spring training, which was likely a big reason as to why he was hitting just .254 at the end of May.

Henderson’s made that seem like a distant memory thanks to his strong run of play as of late. It may not help the Orioles make the postseason this year, but he’s beginning to plant the seeds for what is (hopefully) a winning 2026 season.